Galveston County

Texas City Dike Area

This is an excellent area for waterfowl in the winter; look for Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, and Arctic (rare!) Loon, Eared Grebe and (rarely) other grebes, Greater Scaup and Lesser Scaup, Common Goldeneye, ducks, cormorants, pelicans, gulls, and terns along the dike itself. Drive north along the hurricane levee for Long-billed Curlew and Sprague's Pipits, Whimbrel, plover and the lagoon to the west of the levee for loons, ducks, mergansers. Carefully inspect each gull in the winter; Black-legged Kittiwake and Lesser Black-backed Gull have been observed here in the past.

Marshes along I-45

Get on service road along I-45, Marshes good for herons, egrets, rails, waders, ducks and Ibis.

Virginia Point

(Exit I-45 just before the causeway; turn right; curve back under I-45; follow road to salt cedar stand; also walk across railroad tracks to drainage ditch.) Look for migrant passerines in the salt cedar stands in this area; Prairie Warbler has wintered here; American Oystercatcher has been recorded on the oyster reeds off the point.

Offats Bayou

Going South on 61st St. Park on either side of Offats Bayou near boat ramps. during winter scan for ducks, Common and (rarely) Arctic Loons, grebes, and mergansers.

99th Street

Turn right on Stewart Road to get to Keys 6 through 12. The salt cedars at the beginning of 99th can be great for migrants, also Palm Warblers in winter and during migration; the golf course is excellent for American Golden Plover, Whimbrel, Baird's Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Marbled Godwit. Continue north to Crash Basin; loons in basin, terns; migrants in salt cedars; can view Offats Bayou at end of road

8-mile Road and Sportsman Road

Wet areas along 8-mile road are good for ducks, ibis, herons, waders, rails, bitterns. Marshes along south side of Sportsman Road great for waders (godwits, dowitchers, yellowlegs), phalarope, herons, spoonbills, ducks, avocets, stilts, rails. This area is excellent for shorebirds throughout the year, particularly in migration. American Oystercatcher can often be seen on the reefs in West Bay. In summer and early fall, look for Magnificent Frigatebirds perched on the pilings in West Bay. Sharp-tailed Sparrow winters in the spartina grass along the road. In early morning and late evening, rails often feed in the ditches along the road.

Stewart Road

Lake on the north side of Stewart Road, west of 8-mile road may have ducks, gulls, terns, Gallinule, and spoonbills. Marshy area on the south side may have rails, and bitterns. Sandhill Cranes have been seen in the flats along here and Nottingham.

Nottingham Ranch (Settegast) Road

(Between 10-mile and 11-mile Roads) American Bittern and Purple Gallinule can often be seen in season in the small pond at the beginning of the road. This particular road attracts more western vagrants than any given area in the UTC, such as Curve-billed Thrasher, Common Ground Dove, Western Meadowlark, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Bronzed Cowbird, Pyrrhuloxia, Black-headed Grosbeak and Lark Sparrow. Look carefully at anything you see here, for on Nottingham you never know just what might turn up! Look for plovers, Whimbrel, curlew in the fields, Sandhill Cranes in winter. Trees along the road are good for warblers, orioles, and tanagers in migration. Gull-billed Tern often seen over wet area to the south. White-tailed Kites at the end of the road, across lagoon, nest in tall trees.

Lafitte's Grove

Marshes good for Sora, bitterns, and night-herons. Warblers and other migrants in trees, bushes and around ponds.

Pirate's Beach Golf Course

Good for Baird's and White-rumped Sandpipers in spring migration; Marbled Godwits through most of the year. Keep an eye out for Ruff in this area -- Sportsman Road also -- it has been seen in both areas. Also Golden and Black-bellied Plover may be seen here.

Old House

(The House is long gone! 13-Mile Road between Stewart and FM 3005 - This is a place of grand memories to older birders in the area according to Bill Harwell.) Grove of live oaks, mulberry trees good for warblers, tanagers, orioles, grosbeak and other migrant passerines, particularly in spring when the mulberry trees are in fruit. In winter look for Groove-billed Ani in the salt cedar. The small pond and lagoon south of this is good for bitterns, Green Heron, and Solitary Sandpiper.

Galveston Island State Park

The largest example of unspoiled coastal habitat left on the island; great for nesting herons, gulls, and terns. Bobolink consistently appears in the late spring, also good for late warblers, such as Cape May (look in the baccaris bushes). Palm Warbler is a regular in winter, probably Black-rail too - it may breed here. Watch for nesting White-tailed Kites.

FM 3005 to San Luis Pass at the end of the Island

Along fences and wires may be Western Kingbird and Yellow-headed Blackbird. Fields may have plover, curlew, Whimbrel, and Upland Sandpiper. Eskimo Curlew was found in these fields in 1959. The short-grass habitat at Indian Beach (slated for development) has been found to harbor wintering Sprague's Pipits and Chestnut-collared Longspurs; check suitable habitat. At San Luis Pass check for gulls, terns, avocets, skimmers, and Magnificent Frigatebird.

Galveston City

White-winged Doves nest at the Galveston County Court House (corner of Moody (21Street) and H Street, Kemper park and Hutchings House (29th Street at O Street) and Menard House (33rd and N ½ Street) can be great for migrant passerines, warblers, vireos, thrush, tanagers, orioles, grosbeak, Inca Dove, and buntings. The Park is open to the public (Don't leave valuables in view when parking), but both houses are private and should not be entered. OBSERVE THROUGH THE FENCE. Watch for inclement weather conditions during the migration periods at these spots when you can find some fantastic birding.

East Beach

Continue east on Seawall Blvd. toward the end of the Island; check the lagoon South of the Blvd. for mergansers in season, Turn right at the end of the Blvd. toward the beach, check along the inlets and sand flats for gulls, terns, skimmers, and plover which can gather here in incredible numbers; also look for pelagic species off the end of the South Jetty.

Army Corps. of Engineers Dredge fill sight

When returning west on Seawall Blvd. drive up on the concrete embankment along the north side. This area to the north of the embankment is best in the fall, winter and spring when a lake is formed. Look for grebes, ducks, phalaropes on open water; shorebirds on weedy margins and further in as the water level falls terns and gulls in winter and migration. This area should be checked after major storms.

Bolivar Peninsula

After crossing Galveston Bay on the free ferry, you are on Bolivar peninsula. Turn North at the first road and explore the marshy areas and lakes between Highway 87 and the town of Port Bolivar.

Bolivar Flats

The premier shorebirding spot in Texas is Bolivar flats, located at the tip of Bolivar Peninsula. To reach this area turn right on Rettilon Road which is approximately 7 miles from the ferry landing at the east end of Loop 108 and Highway 87. Proceed to the beach and turn right. There is a barricade of telephone poles in the sand that marks the start of the HAS sanctuary. All but two of the shorebird species presently listed on the main body of the UTC Checklist have been recorded here (a total of 37 species!) This area is also good for Horned Larks all year , and Sharp-tailed Sparrow in the winter (look in the spartina grass). Glaucuos Gull has been seen several years. Least terns nest on the beach, please be observant not to disturb them. Clapper Rail are frequently seen at edges of spartina grass toward the end of the spit. Seaside Sparrows may be common, though perhaps not as readily observed as wintering Sharptails. During early spring seven species of plover may be present!